Why Kansas Called “Carry on My Wayward Son” a “Gentle Curse” on Their Careers

Up until the release of their 1976 hit “Carry On My Wayward Son,” Kansas had more of a cult following than an international celebrity. Their first three albums had performed relatively well, but the American rock band never received a platinum certification until their fourth record: Leftoverture.

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The opening track to that album, “Carry On My Wayward Son,” would become one of the band’s most defining songs. From the a capella introduction to the ripping guitar solos in the middle section, the song easily cemented itself in the popular rock music canon. And while that certainly has its merits, the band later called their first Top 40 hit a “gentle curse.”

Why Kansas Considered “Carry On My Wayward Son” To Be A Curse

Some bands are one-hit-wonders, but Kansas is more of a two-or-three-hit-wonder kind of band. Sure, a diehard fan of the Topeka, Kansas, rock band would be able to identify most of their lengthy discography. But for casual listeners, the top songs that come to mind include “Carry On My Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.” The former track would open their first platinum record, Leftoverture, in 1976, instantly propelling them from a cult-following opener band to a band capable of headlining massive venues.

That has its ups and downs, according to founding member Kerry Livgren. “I’d say it’s a blessing,” he began in an interview with Prog magazine. “Even today, when the royalty cheques come in, it’s significant. Not only was it a financial blessing, but of course, it opened up that whole new world of audiences for us.” However, the guitarist added, “It was also kind of a curse in that, as a writer, it increased the pressure on me to write hits. On the Point of Know Return album, we had to be all about writing another hit. Dust in the Wind was another similar case. It’s a gentle curse, though.”

Co-founder Rich Williams added that despite the tremendous shadow “Carry On” cast over the rest of the band’s career, he doesn’t tire of playing it. “There’s such a reaction from the crowd,” he told Prog. “It’s tremendous to be a part of that. I can never understand people who say, ‘I get so sick of playing the same old f***ing songs.’ It’s like, ‘Wow, they’re your songs. They’re what put you on the map. They’re why people are standing in front of you, and you don’t like it? Maybe you need to try another job!”

A Diamond Created Under Pressure

The old adage that “pressure makes diamonds” can certainly be used to describe the writing process for Kansas’s first Top 40 hit, “Carry On My Wayward Son.” Upon arriving at the studio to begin recording their fourth album, Leftoverture, vocalist Steve Walsh told Kerry Livgren, with whom he typically split songwriting duties, that he had no ideas for the new record. “I was under such pressure to write the album at that point that I kinda launched myself into a gear that I had never had before,” Livgren recalled.

By the time Livgren came up with “Carry On,” Kansas was almost done recording, and the band was hesitant to prolong their session by adding a new song to the mix. But as Rich Williams put it in Prog, “As soon as we got over the laziness of not wanting to learn any more material, we realized “Wayward Son” was a very cool song. We knew right away that it was going to be replacing some other track.”

The track ascended to No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977, garnering the band their first Top 40 hit and a new signature song.

Photo by Getty Images/Bob Riha, Jr.